The genomes of eukaryotic organisms are highly organised within the nucleus of the cell. The long strands of duplex DNA are wrapped around an octomer of histone proteins (most usually comprising two copies of histones H2A, H2B H3 and H4) to form a nucleosome. This basic unit is then further compressed by the aggregation and folding of nucleosomes to form a highly condensed chromatin structure. A range of different states of condensation are possible, and the tightness of this structure varies during the cell cycle, being most compact during the process of cell division. Chromatin structure plays a critical role in regulating gene transcription, which cannot occur efficiently from highly condensed chromatin. The chromatin structure is controlled by a series of post translational modifications to histone proteins, notably histones H3 and H4, and most commonly within the histone tails which extend beyond the core nucleosome structure. These modifications include acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitinylation, SUMOylation. These epigenetic marks are written and erased by specific enzymes, which place the tags on specific residues within the histone tail, thereby forming an epigenetic code, which is then interpreted by the cell to allow gene specific regulation of chromatin structure and thereby transcription.
Histone acetylation is most usually associated with the activation of gene transcription, as the modification loosens the interaction of the DNA and the histone octomer by changing the electrostatics. In addition to this physical change, specific proteins bind to acetylated lysine residues within histones to read the epigenetic code. Bromodomains are small (˜110 amino acid) distinct domains within proteins that bind to acetylated lysine resides commonly but not exclusively in the context of histones. There is a family of around 50 proteins known to contain bromodomains, and they have a range of functions within the cell.
The BET family of bromodomain containing proteins comprises 4 proteins (BRD2, BRD3, BRD4 and BRD-t) which contain tandem bromodomains capable of binding to two acetylated lysine residues in close proximity, increasing the specificity of the interaction. BRD2 and BRD3 are reported to associate with histones along actively transcribed genes and may be involved in facilitating transcriptional elongation (Leroy et al, Mol. Cell. 2008 30(1):51-60), while BRD4 appears to be involved in the recruitment of the pTEF-β complex to inducible genes, resulting in phosphorylation of RNA polymerase and increased transcriptional output (Hargreaves et al, Cell, 2009 138(1): 129-145). It has also been reported that BRD4 or BRD3 may fuse with NUT (nuclear protein in testis) forming novel fusion oncogenes, BRD4-NUT or BRD3-NUT, in a highly malignant form of epithelial neoplasia (French et al. Cancer Research, 2003, 63, 304-307 and French et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2004, 22 (20), 4135-4139). Data suggests that BRD-NUT fusion proteins contribute to carcinogenesis (Oncogene, 2008, 27, 2237-2242). BRD-t is uniquely expressed in the testes and ovary. All family members have been reported to have some function in controlling or executing aspects of the cell cycle, and have been shown to remain in complex with chromosomes during cell division—suggesting a role in the maintenance of epigenetic memory. In addition some viruses make use of these proteins to tether their genomes to the host cell chromatin, as part of the process of viral replication (You et al Cell, 2004 117(3):349-60).
Japanese patent application JP2008-156311 discloses a benzimidazole derivative which is said to be a BRD2 bromodomain binding agent which has utility with respect to virus infection/proliferation.
Patent application WO2009084693A1 discloses a series of thienotriazolodiazepiene derivatives that are said to inhibit the binding between an acetylated histone and a bromodomain containing protein which are said to be useful as anti-cancer agents.
A novel class of compounds have been found which inhibit the binding of bromodomains with its cognate acetylated proteins, more particularly a class of compounds that inhibit the binding of BET family bromodomains to acetylated lysine residues. Such compounds will hereafter be referred to as “bromodomain inhibitors”.